NFL to use ‘Choose Love’ message instead of ‘End Racism’ on field for Super Bowl

CNN —

The National Football League will stencil the phrase “Choose Love” in the back of the end zone at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX (59) game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.

“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told CNN in a statement.

“‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use in the Super Bowl as our country has endured in recent weeks wild fires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”

The other end zone will have the message “It Takes All of Us.”

Last year’s Super Bowl between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas had “End Racism” on one of the end zones.

According to The Athletic, this will be the first time that “End Racism” is not used in the big game since 2021.

Teams have used other phrases such as “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love,” or “Vote” on their home fields this past season. The league started the field stencils in 2020 as part of its Inspire Change social justice initiative.

Last month, the Chiefs stenciled “Choose Love” at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, for the team’s 32-29 AFC Championship victory against the Buffalo Bills.

The Eagles had “End Racism” at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for their 55-23 NFC Championship win over the Washington Commanders.

On Tuesday, a White House official told CNN that President Donald Trump is expected to attend NFL’s showpiece event.

With his attendance, Trump will make history as the first sitting US president to attend a Super Bowl.

The NFL said the choice of stencil message is not related to Trump going to the game.

New Orleans native and Grammy Award-winning artist Ledisi will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – known as the Black national anthem – before the game.

NFL stands firm on diversity efforts

On Monday, the NFL said it will continue its diversity efforts as many in the corporate and political world are rolling back their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

“I believe that our diversity efforts have led to making the NFL better,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said at the annual pre-Super Bowl news conference in New Orleans. “We think we’re better when we get different perspectives, people with different backgrounds, whether they’re women or men or people of color.

“We make ourselves stronger and we make ourselves better when we have that. It’s something that I think will have a tremendous impact on this league for many, many years.”

Goodell said the league has benefited from diversity and inclusion initiatives.

“We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League both on and off the field,” he said. “I think we’ll continue those efforts.”

Hours after being sworn in last month, Trump began making good on promises to wage a war against such policies, inking an executive order banning efforts such as “environmental justice programs,” “equity initiatives” and DEI considerations in federal hiring.

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